Electric match



March 21, 1939. R G, mcHARD 2,151,409

ELECTRIC MATCH Filed April 27, 1937 "l and k n, roducing the necessary spark. The illustrates the placing of the interior parts and carbon tip of the match is kept moistened with connections; also the safety principle, whereby a inflammable liq id, the contact plates 5 and 66 are guarded from v 1 is a, front iew of my invention, the touch of persons handling the apparatus by Fig. 2 is an end View of my invention. the shields !3l3, which are of insulating ma- Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4. terial, or insulated as described in the paragraph Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the contacts. longed to guard the open ends as well. The over- Patented Mar. 21, 1939 i 2,151,409

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC MATCH Rene Gaston Richard, Springfield, Ill.

Application April 27, 1937, Serial No. 139,329

2 Claims. (01. 175-296) The invention consists of a match or torch current is conducted by wire P2 back to the plug with a carbon tip, and electric terminal plates ID. for igniting the match by means of an electric The invention is also adaptable to automobiles, spark; and a safety provision for guarding the in which case it can be operated from the battery plates from the torch. One of the terminals is current. In this adaption the resistance coil is in the form of a grill, with alternate transverse reduced or omitted, as the current from the ordibars and openings which serve as spark gaps; the nary 6- or 12-volt battery is of proper strength other terminal consists of two upright plates with little or no resistance. 4 fixed on both sides of the grill and parallel to it, Fig. 4 shows the position in side elevation verti- "lO th space between the upright plates to allow cal cross-section, illustrating the binding posts the match to be readily struck or drawn be- -8 Ol ng t guide plates 5 rigidly in position tween them over the bars of the grill, being at the against the face of the container. These plates 6 same time in contact with one of the plates; by in turn are protected by the guards l3. which motion the current is alternately closed Fig. 5, a horizontal cross-section from above,

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3, relating to Figure 1. The edges of the plates 66 Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 on Fig. 3. with their guarding shields 13-43 will be close Fig. 6 is a plan view of the torch partly in secenough together to prevent the insertion of a pertion. sons finger, and the shields 13-43 sufficiently pro- Fig. 1 illustrates the complete front View enhanging edges of the upright plates 66 are at semble of one form of the invention. The exterior the same time far enough apart to allow the match form m y b v i infinit y in its s yle. The to pass freely between them with about 1/16 inch sparking plates 5, 66 can as well be placed clearance or play. horizontally as v t a y on t s a d Fig. 6 is the match, showing the three pieces stead of being raised above the Surface, can be of which it consists. The handle IA is made of counter-sunk in a slot and made flush with t e a porcelain, Bakelite or a similar non-conducting Surface. N0- 5 is the grill. held in place by tWO substance. The tip I2 is made of hard, porous bolts 'l-l, set between the guide plates 6- carbon, and is joined to the handle IA with the e e p a are guarded y Shields 0f the sleeve of copper or other metal H, fitting tightly same material as the exterior of the case, a O enough to hold the entire match rigidly together. conduct e a If e Case he a of The size of thematch is a matter of no consemetal, t e p a Will be insulated from the quence, and may be varied to suit convenience or shields Iii-l3 by insulating ma e i conform to the style of the container, subject to 40 F 3 s a inside w of t invention in the considerations mentioned in the foregoing 40 gltudinal vertical cross-section. No. I represents paragraph, the match. No. 2 is a sleeve or tube to hold the Fig 7 n t t th metal grill 5 in d t match I, thrust into a Con a 3 containing The openings between the bars break the circuit 4 felt 4 soaked With inflammable fluid. This COH- and produce the spark which ignites the match, tainer 3 and sleeve 2 can be of y non-Porous, The grill is secured in place by the bolts 1--1, durable substance. through-the holes 'lA-IA; one of which serves as Fig. 3 also illustrates the electric circuit. N0. 3, binding post for the wire P2 from the wall plug 101's an ordina y p u to connect w t the source In as illustrated in Fig. 3. It is essential that the of p a Or -v01t or 0 current grill plate 5 should not be flat on the surface of 50 From p u H! t ur p s t u th Wi the container, but that space be allowed for the P an Ordinary resistance 1 Commercial circulation of air beneath it, otherwise ignition transformer, and from thence by the wire S to the may fail frequently. This circulation may be binding posts 8-8 on the upright plates 6-6. provided for in one of the following four ways: 55 From the binding post I on the grill 5, Fig. 1, the First, by raising the plate from the surface by 55 the use of washers, shims, short tubes or other similar devices at the fastening screws 1-1;

Second, by a counter-sunk slot in the surface of the container, located under the bars;

Third, by arching the plate 5 between the fastening screws Fourth, by bridging the plate 5 by means of a double bend or fold near each end, between the screw holes IA-4A and the bars of the grill so that the grill is bridged above the surface of the box between the folds.

It is apparent that there are no expensive materials to be used, and nothing to get out of order. Any inflammable fluid, even ordinary gasoline, can be used for moistening the match. The electric current, being used only at the moment when the match is struck, is negligible. The expense of upkeep is nil. The box can be made in any style, for setting on a table or smoking stand in parlor or office, or hanging on the wall in the kitchen or work-shop; may be included as part of a lamp or other desk apparatus, or built into the instrument board of an automobile.

I claim:

1. In an electric lighter, the combination comprising a central member shaped to define integral electric contact means and provided with means for its connection with a source of electric energy, said grill member formed of transverse integral oars having spaces between them, said grill member disposed in a position on its support to provide a space for circulation of air through and about the same, a pair of parallel plates secured respectively on each side of said grill member and each plate extending upwardly and inwardly about said grill member and respectively terminating along their adjacent uppermost edges over the grill member and thus registering in a predetermined space relation sufficient to define an effective guard against unintentional contact between said grill and the same and spaced apart in their adjacent upper, edges far enough only to admit of the free movement of a mechanical match between said adjacent edges as it contacts said grill member; said guard plates each connected to a source of electric energy and each insulated from said grill plate, said grill member adapted to be operatively connected to one pole of a battery or source of electric energy and said said guard plates each jointly connected to an opposite pole of a battery or source of electric energy, and insulation means flanking the outer surface of each of said guard plates for protection against an accidental contact therewith.

2. In an electric lighter, the combination comprising a central grill member shaped to define integral electric contact means and provided with means for its connection with a source of electric energy, said grill member formed of transverse integral bars having spaces between them, said grill member disposed in a position on its sup port to provide a space for circulation of air through and about the same, a pair of parallel plates secured respectively on each side of said grill member and each plate extending upwardly and inwardly about said grill member and respectively terminating along their adjacent uppermost edges over the grill member and thus registering in a predetermined space relation sufficient to define an effective guard against un-intentional contact between said grill and the same and spaced apart in their adjacent upper edges far enough only to admit of the free movement of a mechanical match between said adjacent edges as it contacts said grill member; said guard plates each connected to a source of electric energy and each insulated from said grill plate, said grill member adapted to be operatively connected to one pole of a battery or source of electric energy and said guard plates each jointly connected to an opposite pole of a battery or source of electric energy, and insulation means flanking the outer surface of each of said guard plates for protection against an accidental contact therewith; and a resistance coil operatively connected with said guard plates in series circuit to provideprctection against an inadvertent short circuit or unintentional contact with an electrical conductor.

RENE GASTON RICHARD. 

